Our Gift-a-Tree platform is one of our popular avenues for sponsoring trees towards our wildlife rehabilitation corridors, where we plant out a range of tree species in bio-mimicked forest patches in one of our three wildlife corridor rehabilitation projects.
This planting was a particularly emotional one – for all those who gifted trees to the forest pocket as well as for the team planting them out. It was the first time we were planting an entire forest pocket that was dedicated in memory of the passing of a loved one. 102 trees were gifted through the Gift a Tree platform in honour of Michelle Butler, and we planted them out, with her mom and dad, in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor.
Michelle’s loss cannot be replaced… yet knowing a forest pocket was planted out in her memory that itself will support many forms of life going forward, has brought a greater sense of peace and ease to the family.
“Michelle, may your soul rest in peace between these beautiful trees in the forest with the sound of the wind and the sea in your ears and the eagles soaring above…”
Today wasn’t just about putting roots in the ground; it was about the incredible spirit of community and the power of collective action to nurture our precious environment. We had the pleasure of hosting not one, but two wonderful planting sessions, each with its own unique charm.
Morning Bloom: THYME to Plant
Our morning began with a heartwarming visit from the vibrant seniors of The Garden Thyme Group, hailing all the way from Knysna. This remarkable group, aptly named, certainly proved that age is no barrier to making a tangible difference. They arrived with enthusiasm and a generous spirit, having not only sponsored a number of trees but also rolled up their sleeves to plant them themselves!
We were thrilled to welcome these green-thumbed individuals to the Shamboh site. In a touching gesture, the trees planted during this session were each dedicated in honour of a member of The Garden Thyme Group, sponsored directly by the members themselves. Imagine the legacy these trees will represent, a living tribute to the individuals who care so deeply about our planet.
Witnessing this planting was inspiring – a powerful reminder that every generation has a vital role to play in environmental stewardship. They created a beautiful connection with the land and each other.
Afternoon Flourish: A Mini Forest Takes Root
As the morning sun gave way to the afternoon warmth, we welcomed a different group to another newly cleared section of the Wildlife Corridor. This session focused on creating a small, vibrant mini forest pocket, thanks to the wonderful generosity of individuals who sponsored trees through our “Gift a Tree” platform.
It’s always incredibly rewarding to see the direct impact of these sponsorships. Today, we planted a significant number of trees, each one representing a thoughtful contribution from someone who believes in the power of nature and the importance of reforestation. These trees will contribute to the biodiversity of the area, providing habitat and helping to create a thriving ecosystem within this small pocket of land.
The afternoon planting session was a testament to the collective impact of individual actions. Each sponsored tree, when planted together, creates something far greater than the sum of its parts – a growing, breathing mini-forest that will benefit the environment for years to come.
A Day of Growth, Together
Today was a powerful reminder of the incredible things we can achieve when we work together. From the enthusiastic seniors of The Garden Thyme Group to the thoughtful individuals who gifted trees, every single contribution, big or small, plays a vital role in our mission.
We extend our deepest gratitude to The Garden Thyme Group for their visit, their sponsorship, and their inspiring energy. And to everyone who has gifted a tree through our platform, thank you for your support!
Click here if you would like to Gift A Tree! We have selected 11 of our favourite endemic forest tree species for you to choose from. The tree species you select and sponsor in honour / celebration of a loved one, will be planted out in one of reforestation projects in the Garden Route, with a range of other species, in bio-mimicked indigenous forest patches that emulate the natural forest biome of the area.
The rehabilitation process of a corridor is not a quick one… it is labour intensive, takes commitment and is a costly exercise, so sponsorship towards the corridor is a necessary and welcome one. Terebinth Capital, who prides themselves on responsible investment, turned 10 years old and, in honour of their clients, invested in a mini-indigenous forest pocket in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor. We say thank you!
Sponsorships and donations in support of our wildlife corridor rehabilitation and assisted reforestation endeavours come in a number of ways. One of these is our Gift-a-Tree platform where you can gift a tree to a bio-mimicked forest pocket planted out in one of our wildlife corridors in honour of a loved one… honouring a birthday, a promotion, an anniversary or a life lived.
Gifting a Tree in our wildlife corridors in celebration of another simultaneously supports the ongoing rehabilitation activities in our local wildlife corridors. So, if you would like to Gift a tree to a special person in celebration of a birthday, an anniversary or in honour of their life, simply click here.
The Touw River Conservancy (TRC) is a local conservation body focused on increased conservation efforts on private and municipal property in the Greater Wilderness Area. Much of their volunteer efforts in conservation are geared towards clearing invasive vegetation as a first level priority step in any rehabilitation or reforestation process. Clearing invasive trees is a labour intensive process and a labour of love by the TRC team who put their own time and effort into it.
The TRC has been clearing a site in Wilderness Heights which has been identified as one of many vital corridors for wildlife in the area, most of which are shrinking as a result of rising higher density development in the area and overrun by non-indigenous invasive vegetation. This site used to be an old cattle dip for the farmers many years ago, but neglected from disuse as farms were subdivided into smallholdings. It become heavily infested with pine, wattle gum, bugweed, to name a few of the highly invasive non-indigenous species dominating the competition for space and water.
In 2022, the TRC joined the George Municipality’s Adopt-a-Spot program whereby it has undertaken to continue to clear, maintain and rehabilitate the site – now recognised as a heritage site in the Garden Route. When Precious Tree Project was donated funds by the Wilderness Ratepayers and Residents Association (WRRA) and George Tourism as part of the Wilderness Centenary and Beautification Project, we allocated the funds towards planting out in a mini-forest pocket on the site.
Since many of the leaves of indigenous trees are a vital food source for many of the wildlife species in the area, irrespective of the age of the tree, we got creative in our tree protection methods structures giving the trees time to take root and ground themselves.
A big round of applause to the TRC and its committee members involved in the rehabilitation of this site and for all those local community members who joined in and gave a helping hand on the day.
Rock the Route and PANGEA Trails are local ECO Adventure Tourism businesses who have been ongoing supporters of Precious Tree Project since 2018. Both companies offer tours around South Africa and include multi-day tours to the Garden Route. Both companies recognise that the tourism services they have on offer come with an environmental footprint and remain committed to sponsoring trees with Precious Tree Project for every seat sold on every tour they conduct. This means that as the seats add up, so do the numbers of trees we get to plant out in one of our wildlife corridor rehabilitation projects.
This month we selected Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor as the site to plant out these trees in our usual “biomimicked forest patch” way.
Thumbs up to Rock the Route/PANGEA Trails for their contributions and making this planting session possible! This mini-forest will help restore biodiversity in the corridor, provide a valuable source of food and a safe haven for wildlife passing through.
Thumbs up to them also pitching in and helping us plant out their trees on the day!
Thumbs up to our very important planters for showing up every time to plant a mini-forest!
The “Shamboh” Wildlife Corridor in Wilderness Heights has been one of our focal sites of ongoing rehabilitation over the past few years. Returning to the area to continue clearing out aliens and then coming back to plant out another mini-forest brings with it the opportunity to observe the natural reforestation taking place in the corridor in between our assisted reforestation efforts, as well as the satisfaction of seeing the growth of the mini-forest pockets we have planted out in previous sessions.
Each planting session is a labour of love taken on by our volunteers and becomes an exercise of short term fun for medium and long term gain. All made possible by your individual sponsors via our Gift-a-Tree platform. Thank you!
Playing for Trees is one of our popular fundraising platforms to raise money to plant out trees. In September 2021, Precious Tree Project collaborated with Denneberghof Country Estate Events and held our “You & Your Plus 1” Spring sports challenge at their beautiful venue, located between Victoria Bay and Wilderness. The proceeds received from this event were raised to plant out a small bio-mimicked forest patch of indigenous trees on the property, where efforts to rehabilitate the land are on the go. On the 19th of February 2022, a group of our VIPs (very important planters) got together to plant them out. The ownership now rests with the landowners to maintain them carefully until they have taken root.
The Precious Tree Project would like to thank everyone involved in this project: those who played for trees, those who planted out trees and those at Denneberghof who have committed to maintain them with love while they ground themselves in their new home.
Thank you SHOMON for the use of your original soundtrack “Feels so Right”!
We started working on a section of this Wildlife Corridor running through Libertas Guest Farm in the earlier part of 2021. Most of the “alien management” of the corridor running though the farm is undertaken by the landowners themselves, but the ongoing task of restoring lengthy tracks of land to its former natural glory can be an unrelenting challenge. The primary invasive species dominating the corridor are black wattle, lantana and bugweed. In addition to being invasive, these species are particularly fast-growers. As a prime wildlife corridor (and currently monitored with cameras by NMMU students), PTP jumped in to help clear the giant bugweed and to boost the reforestation process with endemic forest tree species that are great sources of food for the wildlife too.
A BIG thank you to Dr Morley for his tree-cycling project and FAGRON SA for the sponsorship of 75 endemic forest trees that we planted out.
Gifting a tree to a loved one as a birthday present, wedding gift or any other ceremonial and remembrance occasion is becoming more popular with our followers. Our ability to continuously assist with the ongoing reforestation of the Wilderness Heights Wildlife Corridor is a result of the support we receive every time you gift a tree in honour of your loved ones.
